The Aftermath
by forevergirl2112
Summary: My first fanfic EVER! A continuation after the series Finale. All is becoming normal again, that is, everything except for the feelings of a certain waterbender and a certain new Firelord. When tensions fly and feelings become known, what will happen in the Fire Nation Capitol? Major ZukoXKatara, SokkaXSuki
1. Chapter 1

Avatar: The Aftermath

Chapter 1

Rebuilding

Aang and the others needed several days to recover from the events on the day of the Comet. Sokka's broken leg was being cared for, and Zuko needed time to heal after the Agni Kai with his sister. Azula had been "cleansed" by Aang and, unable to firebend, was put into an asylum just outside of the Fire Nation capital. Ozai sat in his prison cell, finally defeated for good and left without his firebending. The members of the White Lotus had all returned to their respective lands and began to rebuild the ravaged nations. King Bumi re-claimed Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth King, and proclaimed himself as ruler of all Earth Kingdom territories and settlements. Iroh traveled back to the Fire Nation with Zuko and the others, but made plans to return to Ba Sing Se and reopen the _Jasmine Dragon_.

A week passed in the Fire Nation capital and Zuko was preparing for his coronation as Firelord. Katara had been caring for him and healing his wounds from Azula's lightning and was constantly at his side. The two had become much closer after facing death together. Zuko had risked his life for Katara, and she saw him through new eyes. Although neither one said it out loud, it was obvious that the two had strong feelings for one another. Zuko's love for Katara was clear to him, but Mai still invaded his thoughts. He did not love her anymore, in a romantic way at least, but he still cared for her and worried about her. He wanted to speak to her and explain things, but he had not seen or heard from her since the incident at the Boiling Rock. He knew he had broken her heart, and it was ripping at him from the inside.

One day, while sitting by the courtyard pond, feeding the turtle ducks, a familiar voice startled him. "So, Firelord, huh?" Her voice felt like icy daggers in his heart and he did not have to turn to know who was behind him. "Yeah," was all he could muster. He felt a surge of relief knowing she was alright. He turned, "How…when did you get out of prison?" Her face was stoic, as usual, "My uncle pulled some strings." There was palpable tension in the air. "Zuko," she paused, "You don't love me anymore, do you?" Mai's words came out with a sensitivity that he never knew she possessed. "Mai," he began with hesitation, "I wish you every happiness and comfort, and I do love you, just in a different way than before. My heart belongs to someone else now." The two stared at each other with an awkward intensity that seemed to last a lifetime. Finally, she broke the unbearable silence, "I…I understand. But I still love you, even if it's different than before." She smiled gently and Zuko returned the expression. The two sat down by the gentle water. "We've grown apart, but I do think that I can still be your friend. Is that alright?" Zuko smiled, "I would like that very much."

They sat in the quiet courtyard for hours and talked. Zuko revealed his strong feelings for Katara, and even though she was slightly bitter, Mai listened and helped him disentangle his inner conflicts. Zuko didn't know what to do. He knew what he was feeling, but was not convinced that Katara felt the same. The young Firelord was aware that Aang also cared for her and was afraid that he would be rejected. He also didn't want to start a jealous feud with the Avatar. Little did he know that Katara could not get him off of her mind either.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Emotions

Katara and Sokka hugged their father and said goodbye as he and the remaining water tribe warriors left the Fire Nation capital. The brother and sister had decided to stay for a while to help Aang and Zuko reconstruct the nations. Katara was confident that their influence, and that of Toph and representatives of other nations, would be good for the Firelord and his Avatar friend. They knew that it would take a while to completely restore peace and prosperity, but were ready to take on the task with their friends.

Walking back to the palace in silence, Katara stopped outside the walls and began to cry. Sokka knew she would be upset about Hakoda leaving, but was surprised to see her like this all of a sudden. She had appeared to be in a fairly good mood all day and had been acting fine even while saying goodbye to their father. Not knowing what to do or say, he simply pulled her into a hug and held her while she cried. He had not told her, but while they were separated during the comet, he was beside himself worrying about her. She was his sister and he swore to always protect her and be there for her. Now was his chance to redeem himself as her big brother. "Come on, sis, let's go get cleaned up." She nodded slowly and began to wipe her face. She didn't know what had come over her all of a sudden. She was sad about her father leaving, but knew it was something deeper than that. She had been keeping her true feelings for Zuko locked inside of her since they were together in the Ba Sing Se prison. It was like all of a sudden, those feelings that she had tried to oppress came spiraling up through her at an alarming rate. She started towards the palace with a slow, shaky gait, her brother silent beside her.

When Katara and Sokka reached the inside of the palace, Suki was there to greet them. "Hey guys, I was worried. It's about time you…" she stopped when she saw Katara's face. She and Sokka exchanged concerned glances while Katara hurried past, towards the room where she and Toph were staying. She was relieved to find that Toph wasn't there and she could have some time to herself. She splashed some cool water on her face, which felt good against her overheated skin. Feeling drained from the sudden rush of emotions, she decided to lie down. She knew she wouldn't be able to fall asleep due to the racing of her mind, but she knew it would do her some good just to rest and recuperate. She had been so busy the past week healing the wounded and caring for everyone that she had not had any time for herself. And now, there were so many thoughts and emotions flooding inside of her that she needed to relax and sort them out.

After a few moments of silence, there was a quiet knock on the door. "Come in," she said quietly, sitting up. "I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you, I just thought you could use a friend right now." Suki walked over and sat down right next to Katara. "Sokka's really worried about you. He wants to know what's going on. Is everything okay?" She seemed genuinely concerned for her friend and wanted to help in any way possible. Katara tried to speak without crying again. "I…I just don't know right now. There's just so much going on in my head and I don't know how to sort it all out." She looked down at the floor. "Suki, I'm about to tell you something that needs to stay between us for now." Suki looked up into Katara's eyes. They looked so conflicted, like there was both joy and sadness in them. "I think I'm in love with Zuko. No, I know that I'm in love with him. Oh God Suki, what do I do?" A few seconds of awkward silence passed while Suki tried not to snicker. She had suspected for a while that this was the case, but she didn't know that Katara was in such turmoil about it. "Katara, I'm pretty sure I already knew that." Katara looked mortified, "Has it been that obvious?" "Well," Suki smiled, "You do seem to light up a little more when you're with him. But I didn't realize that this was causing you so much pain inside. Have you talked to anyone else about it?" Katara started to cry, "No, I've been so embarrassed and frantic. I don't know if he loves me back and I don't want to get my heart broken. I can't talk to Aang about it because he'll just be jealous, and I don't even want to know what Sokka would think. There's just been so much happening since Ba Sing Se that I haven't really had a chance to sort out my true feelings and now that I can, I'm scared. I'm terrified, Suki."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Confessions

Outside in the courtyard, Zuko was having a very similar conversation with Mai. "It's like, when I'm with her, or even just around her, I can't concentrate on anything but her. I want her to smile and be happy and I want to care for her and," he exhaled, "I just can't even sort it all out. She makes me feel so… alive." Just talking about Katara made Zuko's eyes spark. "I don't know what I'll do if she rejects me," he continued poignantly. "As much as I love her, I also want her to be happy and if she would be happier with someone else, I have to respect that. I just don't know right now." Mai could tell that he had conflicting emotions and didn't exactly know what to say. She had only seen Katara a handful of times and had never really talked to her. Finally, she spoke up, "Zuko, if you really love her, then you need to tell her. The longer you keep this inside, the more intense and uncomfortable it will get and there will be a point where it starts to mess with your emotions. The world is changing and things are going to start getting out of hand, especially for the firelord. You have to talk to her." The words that came out of her mouth surprised her. She was giving the man she still loved advice about getting another girl. What was the world coming to?

Mai stood up while Zuko continued to nervously play with the water in the pond. It was starting to get cloudy, indicating a storm. Neither of them had noticed until now. "We should go inside; it looks like it might rain soon," Mai said as she turned towards the palace. "Thank you, Mai." She turned around to find Zuko smiling at her in a way that she had never witnessed. Oh how she wished that it was her causing that smile, but she knew it was Katara. A few light raindrops fell and the two continued inside.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Suki, who had been consoling Katara for an hour and a half, quietly left the room. Katara had fallen asleep, exhausted from her crying and fretting. Sokka was sitting beside the door with a worried look on his face. "Were you out here this whole time?" Suki asked with a smile. "I was worried. It's my job to be the protective older brother." He replied with a stern look. Suki had only seen this side of Sokka one other time, and she admired his sincerity. Suddenly, she became worried, "Did you by chance overhear…anything?" He shook his head, "No. Fortunately for you ladies, the Fire Nation palace has some pretty thick walls and doors." There was his usual, joking self. "So I'm guessing that you're not going to tell me what's wrong then?" Suki shook her head. "I think this is something that Katara needs to talk to you about, when she feels ready. Don't worry, it's nothing serious. Nothing to be too concerned about. Just try to be supportive and loving for now; she's in a delicate state." The look of worry came back to his face, but he was glad that Suki was being so kind to his sister and helping her out. "Okay. I think dinner's almost ready. Let's go find Toph and Aang and head to the dining room. Should we tell Katara?" "She's sleeping right now," Suki said. "We can bring her some dinner later. I don't want to wake her; she's exhausted and she's had a rough day."

The rain had started to pick up outside and the sky was getting darker. Every once in a while, thunder could be heard in the distance. Zuko loved these kinds of nights. When he was young, he used to sit in the gazebo with his mother, watching the storms. He was afraid of the thunder, but his mother always comforted him and told him that the thunder and lightning was just another way for the earth to rejuvenate. Now, he loved the storms. He was standing by the hallway window, blankly staring out when Sokka, Suki and Toph walked past. "Hey firelord, are you going to stand there and stare at the rain all night, or can we get some grub?" Toph playfully elbowed him in the ribcage. "Yeah I'm coming," Zuko said calmly. He walked off toward the dining room. Suki immediately suspected that something was up with him too. _Could he know about Katara?_ She thought suddenly. "Man, what is with everyone today?" Toph inquired with her arms crossed. "Yeah, first Katara, now Zuko. What's the problem?" Sokka shrugged in his normal manner. Suki just shook her head. "You guys are so clueless." If only they knew what was really going on. Aang had overheard them in the hallway and joined in. "Wait, something's wrong with Katara?" Aang looked baffled. He had been in Ba Sing Se for the last few days and had just returned that afternoon. "Oh hey, Aang. We were just coming to get you for dinner," Sokka replied. "She's just exhausted. Since the comet, she's been busy taking care of everyone and she hasn't had a moment to herself. Plus, saying goodbye to Hakoda this morning took its toll on her emotionally." Suki gave a weak smile and continued on to dinner.

The gang, minus Katara, gathered around the meal. "Is it alright if I join you for dinner?" They all looked up to see Mai standing by the door. "Of course! The more the merrier!" Toph piped up. The gang was beginning to warm up to Mai. Sokka and Zuko were grateful for her aid at the Boiling Rock. "All right. Let's dig in." Sokka said with his mouth already full. Zuko looked around. "Wait, where's Katara?" He asked with a concerned expression. Suki was now even more suspicious about his feelings. Sokka answered him, mouth still full. "She's asleep in her room." "Is she sick? What's wrong with her?" Zuko seemed even more concerned now. Mai looked down at her plate. "Suki said she's just exhausted. She's been through a lot lately," Toph said.

Aside from the thunderstorm, and Sokka spouting off his usual idiocy, dinner was relatively quiet. Zuko barely said a word and kept spacing off. Mai watched him throughout most of the meal. She could tell that he truly was in love with Katara. Even more so than he ever was with her. This made her slightly upset, but she was also glad for him. She did still care for him and she wanted him to be happy. She loved seeing his smile. Silently at the table, she made a vow to herself to not interfere with his love. After making that decision, she spoke up, "I think I am going to head back to Omashu tomorrow. I haven't seen my family in a while." Zuko turned his head. "Will you be alright?" He asked quietly. She nodded and smiled. "Suki, make sure to tell Ty Lee 'hello' for me next time you see her." "I will," Suki responded. "I should be returning to Kyoshi Island within the month." She smiled awkwardly then glanced at Sokka. They hadn't really had a chance to discuss this. He stared at her with sudden sorrow in his eyes. "We'll talk about it later," she said quietly.

A loud crash of thunder sounded, waking Katara from her deep sleep. She looked around the dark room, covered in sweat. Her breathing was frantic due to the sudden din that yanked her from her slumber. Moving slowly, she made her way to the water basin and refreshed her face, which felt good. She stared at her reflection in the mirror for a long while until a knock on the door pulled her back into reality. "Katara? Can I come in?" She recognized Sokka's voice. "I brought you some dinner." He said while opening the door. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until he mentioned food. "Sokka, I didn't say 'come in'," she said with a frown. "I knew you were up, I could hear the water." He sat the tray of food down on the bed. "So what's going on? I'm worried about you, Katara. We all are." There were a few seconds of poignant silence. "You're my sister and I care about you. You know you can talk to me about anything, right?" Katara stood in her place and looked down at the floor. "It…it's just…oh I don't even know, Sokka." She dropped to the floor with her hands covering her eyes. Sokka rushed over and embraced her. "Katara, what's wrong? I really hate seeing you like this." He paused, "Are you…are you missing mom?" She looked up, tears filling her eyes again. She was surprised she had any left after her fit earlier in the day. "I always miss mom." She leaned into her brother's chest, happy to have him there.

After a few moments, Sokka spoke up. "You don't have to talk about it tonight if you don't want to. But you do need to eat something. I haven't seen you eat anything all day." She stood up and walked to the bed. The food did look good and she was very hungry. She began to eat slowly while Sokka watched her protectively. He really did hate seeing her like this. She was usually so strong-willed and tough. Standing up he said, "Well, you just eat up. I'm going to find Suki then go to bed. You know where I am if you need me. Don't hesitate to come to me, even if it's in the middle of the night." As he said that, the door opened and Toph walked in. "Hey Katara, hey Sokka." "Hi, Toph. I'm just heading to bed," Sokka replied. He gave Katara one last hug and then made his way to Suki's room. "So, what's up, Katara. I heard you were kind of stressed out," Toph said, oblivious. "Yeah, I'm just dealing with my emotions right now. It kind of sucks being a girl sometimes, you know?" She finally opened up to her blind friend. "I know. Or at least, I would if I actually had any emotions." They both laughed. Toph was happy to be able to cheer Katara up.

The waterbender finished her meal, and then both girls got ready for bed. The two had been sharing the large bed in the room for the time being. The storm had quieted down for a while, but was now starting to become more intense. Loud thunder was sounding and the rain was pounding on the roof and windows. Toph was able to drown out the sound, but Katara just lay there, unable to sleep. She loved rainstorms, but she was not very keen on thunder, especially when it was very close and loud. She also had a splitting headache and was feeling slightly chilled. After a while, she had had enough. Throwing on her robe, she quietly left the room. She decided to take a walk around the palace until she got sleepy, hoping that eventually, the storm would quiet down. Her headache was making her dizzy, so she walked slow, careful not to bump into anything. The candles in the hallways were lit, but the area was very dim. She walked for a while, just thinking. Thinking about Zuko and the way he made her heart flutter.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Eventually, she found her way to the common room and sat down on the large sofa. The fabric was velvety soft and she made herself comfortable on it. There weren't many windows so it was quieter and the lights were very dim. She was able to relax her mind. As she lay there, she made the decision to finally tell Zuko how she felt. Obviously, she didn't want to wake him up in the middle of the night, so she would wait until morning. Now she felt anxious and couldn't put her mind back at ease. She still had that headache, so she knew that she needed to get some sleep. _I hope I'm not getting sick, _she thought, wondering why she was feeling so dizzy. She did notice that her body ached a bit but attributed that to the long walk back to the palace earlier that day and all the work she had been doing lately. She was exhausted. After a while, she fell asleep on the sofa.

Her dreams were frantic and dismembered, and she woke up every couple of hours because she was cold. She wanted to go find a blanket but was too exhausted and dizzy to get up. _Maybe I do have a fever, _she suddenly thought after waking up shivering. It was very early in the morning at that point and the dim light of the sun was starting to appear. The storm had finally moved on.

She forced herself up, wavering a bit. It took all of her strength to make it back to her room and she had to hold on to the walls in order to stay upright. Something was definitely wrong. Suddenly, she heard footsteps coming down the long hallway. "Katara what are you doing up this early? Are you alright?" Zuko said as he put his hand on her shoulder. She felt relieved to see him, but she was also embarrassed. She probably looked like hell. "Zuko…I…" Her dizziness took over and she suddenly fell forward. With quick reflexes, he caught her and took her up into his arms. "Katara!" He felt her forehead; she was burning up with fever. Unable to think, he quickly rushed her to the closest bedroom, which was his. He laid her down on the bed and swiftly covered her with the blankets. He then used his firebending to start a fire in the fireplace to warm the room.

Sokka woke with a start when he heard the commotion in the hallway. He could have sworn he heard his sister's name, so he jumped up to investigate. When he got to the hallway, Suki was there also. They noticed Zuko's door was open and there was light so they rushed to see what was going on. "Zuko what happened?!" Sokka yelled anxiously, seeing Katara passed out on the bed. "I found her in the hallway. She was dizzy and collapsed. She's burning up. My instincts took over and I brought her in here. I was just about to come find you." Zuko's words were jumbled and panicky. Suki felt Katara's forehead and told Zuko to get more blankets. Sokka just stood there, pale-faced. He had never seen his sister look so helpless and fragile. Katara began to stir a bit but her words were scrambled. Her fever was causing her to hallucinate and brought her in and out of consciousness. The sun started to shine through the window onto her face. Suki went to find the palace doctor. On her way she ran into Aang and Toph. They had been trying to find everyone else after they failed to show up for breakfast. Suki explained what was going on and the two joined her.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"It seems as if this was just a stress induced fever. Has she been eating enough recently and staying hydrated?" The doctor inquired as he checked Katara's pulse. "I think so," Sokka said, "But she has been under a lot of emotional stress lately. I made sure she ate something last night." He still looked worried about his sister. Zuko just stood in the corner, watching. "Well, there's not much we can do at this point. Just make sure she stays hydrated and warm. She should rest up for the next couple of days, until she gets her strength back." He continued, "The medicine I gave her should break her fever by tomorrow evening at the latest. Until then she may continue to waver in and out of consciousness. Someone should watch her, just to be safe." He gathered his instruments and began to walk out. "If she isn't better within 5 days, summon me and I will be here. Otherwise, I will come back around in a week or so to check up on things. I will be in Ba Sing Se for the time being." He nodded his head to the firelord and went on his way.

"How could I let this happen?" Sokka banged his fist on the wall. Zuko looked up. He had dark circles under his eyes. Suki put her hand on her boyfriend's shoulder. "It's not your fault, Sokka. There's nothing you could do. She's just been pushing herself too hard, physically and mentally." He walked away and looked at his still unconscious sister. "I'm supposed to protect her. I should have made her rest." He shook his head, "Why does she have to be so stubborn?" He paused and a brief smile grazed his face, "Just like mom…" It was late at night. Katara had been unconscious for several hours now, and her fever was still very high. Everyone was getting nervous, but Aang reminded them to stay calm. They still had several more hours before her fever would break, according to the doctor. Suki stood up and yawned. "I think some of us should go to bed. It's not doing any good having all of us crowded around her. In fact, she probably needs some space." Aang and Toph agreed and left with Suki, leaving only Sokka and Zuko in the room with Katara.

It was awkwardly quiet. Zuko stood on the opposite wall, arms crossed, keeping a watchful eye on Katara. Sokka sat on the edge of the bed, gently stroking his sister's hair. After a few moments of silence, Sokka spoke up. "I promised my dad I will always protect her. But she's the one who takes care of me when I'm sick. Even before she discovered her healing abilities she would help me whenever I got hurt. Just like mom." He looked at Zuko, "Now it's my turn to help her, and I don't know what to do. I feel so helpless." Zuko responded, warily, "You can't blame yourself, Sokka. If this is anyone's fault, it's mine. She spent so much time and energy healing me and taking care of all the wounded soldiers and civilians. I never even asked her if she was okay after fighting Azula. She had to have been in some kind of pain." There was tension in his voice. "I should've been more considerate."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Katara began to restlessly twist in her unconsciousness. She was muttering nonsense and making whimpering noises. Sokka and Zuko hovered over her, unsure of what to do. Her forehead was covered in sweat. "I think her fever's breaking," Zuko said as he put a hand on her brow. Her thrashing became more violent and Sokka became worried. "I'm going to find Suki. She may know what to do." He ran out of the room. Zuko carefully watched Katara with tender eyes. He didn't like seeing her so helpless and weak. He wanted so badly to protect her, to care for her and to make her better. But he didn't know what to do. His thoughts were interrupted by the sweetest sound he had ever heard, "Zuko…Zuko. Oh, Zuko…I…I need you, Zuko. Zuko." As Katara muttered, he felt like time had stopped for a moment. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. She may have been unconscious, but something inside her was longing for him. His heart fluttered violently. Her thrashing settled and she became peaceful again. He sat at the edge of the bed and seized her hand, gently caressing it in his. She was so fragile and he was afraid he would break her.

Suki and Sokka ran in to find Zuko sitting beside Katara, her hand in his. "Zuko, what's going on?" Sokka slowly walked forward, worried. "She was talking in her sleep. She's calm now. She was…saying my name." A smile graced his usually stern face. Sokka stared at the firelord, unsure of what to think or say. Suki felt Katara's forehead. "Her fever is breaking, thank goodness. Zuko, can you get a towel out of the closet?" He stood up and very gently placed Katara's hand back on the bed. Suki knew something was up with him. He usually wasn't so calm.

Through the night, the three stayed in the room, just in case. Katara would periodically make a noise or say something and become restless, but would return to sleep after only a moment. Very early the next morning, when there was only a dim amount of light, she finally awoke.

Her eyes opened very slowly and at first everything was blurry. She wasn't sure where she was or how she got there. She looked around and was astonished at the scene around her. Next to the fireplace was Sokka in a chair, fast asleep. Suki was curled up on the sofa across the room. Then she looked left to find Zuko on a chair with his head on the bed, next to her. She was very confused and disoriented. Her mouth was dry and she felt like she had been hit by a bag of rocks. Slowly, she sat up, trying not to disturb the sleeping firelord. She swung her legs out from the covers to try and stand up. The floor was cold.

"Oh! You're awake!" Zuko bolted up faster than she'd ever seen him move. Her voice was hoarse because of her dry throat. "What happened? Where am I?" She put a hand to her head. "You're in my room. You've been passed out for almost two days. You had a high fever." She scratched her head "That would explain this massive headache and why I'm drenched in sweat." Trying to stand up, she had to use all of her strength to push herself upward. "You should take it easy," Zuko said, putting his hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "You're very weak and need to get your strength back."

Sokka's eyes opened and he saw his sister up. "Katara! Thank goodness you're alright! I was so worried. How are you feeling?" He ran over and hugged his sister, breathing a sigh of relief. "I'm still feeling pretty run down, Sokka." Suki stood up and walked over after the commotion woke her up. "Let me feel your forehead just to make sure your fever is gone," she said as she gently touched Katara's forehead. "You feel normal to me, but you'll need to take it easy for a few days. Your body's been through a lot." "Thank you all for taking care of me. I don't even remember any of this happening." She slowly started to stand up with all eyes monitoring her every move. As she finally made it upright, she wavered and almost fell. Zuko caught her and sat her back down on the bed. "Take it slow. I'll go find you some food." She laid back down, but stayed upright. "Sokka you look terrible! Were you up all night?" He grinned and looked down. Suki answered her friend's question. "He's been up for almost two nights straight. We all were. Even Toph and Aang were up for most of it." She smiled. "We all care about you and were worried." Katara felt misty-eyed. "You should go get some sleep; I'm alright now," she said with a smile. Sokka yawned dramatically. "Well sis, I guess you're alright now. I'm going to go catch some shuteye. You coming, Suki?" She smirked. "I'll be along in a minute." He grabbed his things and made his way down the hall.

"Suki, thank you. For everything." Katara smiled. "Ah don't just thank me. We all helped out. Zuko was by your side this entire time. He was so concerned." She smirked, "You know, he was the one that carried you in here and laid you on _his _bed." _The firelord's bed, _Katara thought as she shivered. "Oh and one more thing," Suki spoke up again. "While you were unconscious, you…said things." A disturbed look came over Katara. "What things?" She asked with insecurity in her voice. "Well," Suki continued, "Mostly just nonsense. But you did say a name…several times." Katara looked puzzled, "What name?" Suki giggled. "Zuko of course!" Katara immediately turned the brightest shade of red and her cheeks became very hot. "Oh…" was all she could muster. Just then, Zuko walked into the room with a tray of food. The two girls were startled and hoped he hadn't heard their conversation just then. Suki stood up. "Well, since your fever's broken and you've got some food, I'm going to go get some sleep. Thank you for all your help Zuko." She smiled and left the room.

"I wasn't sure what you would like so I just gathered up all I could find in the kitchen." Zuko awkwardly set the tray of food in front of Katara. "Thanks," she said, smiling. "So," the awkwardness continued, "Thank you, Zuko." He looked at her with such love in his eyes. "Of course," he said, unsure of what to say. "I was so worried. When I found you in the hallway, I could tell something was wrong, and it scared me. Then you collapsed and I thought my heart would stop." He sat down next to her and gently touched her hand. "I…I love you Katara." He looked down, fearing her rejection. "It's clear to me now that I love you and I would do anything for you. I want you to be happy and safe and cared for. Even if you reject me, I will still love you." There was a pause that seemed to linger for eternity. He finally rallied enough courage to look up at her. She had tears streaming down her face and her eyes were red. He became worried. "Katara! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry if I upset you, please forgive me." His words were frantic and unstable. He turned away from her, but she grabbed his hand.

"No, Zuko," she finally spoke, trying to console him. "I'm glad you did. I was so worried that," she exhaled, "That you didn't feel the same way I do." She leaned forward and moved the hair that had fallen in front of his eyes. His usually stern eyes softened and he looked at her poignantly. "Katara, I didn't know…why didn't you tell me?" The two moved closer to one another. "The same reason. Fear of rejection," her voice cracked as she replied softly. As Zuko stared into her eyes, he gently put his hand on her cheek. The intensity was too much to handle and Katara's heart began to beat erratically. Finally, after much uncomfortable anticipation, he kissed her.

At first it was just a soft kiss, the two gently holding eachother. Katara's head spun. _I must still be unconscious…is this really happening? _She thought. But as she opened her eyes, she realized that this was really happening. This was real. She kissed him back more intensely, gently caressing his face. It felt like an eternity, yet not long enough. She wanted him to hold her and she knew now that she would not be able to live without him. Katara pulled back. "Are you alright?" he asked with worry on his face. "I'm fine, just a little dizzy." She smiled weakly at him. They stared at eachother. "I love you Katara." Zuko grabbed her hand and kissed it. She embraced him in a hug and buried her face into his chest. Zuko spoke up, "You should eat. You need to get your strength back." He placed the tray of food in front of her. As she ate, he watched her with new eyes.


End file.
